Comparative effects of pretreatments and their combinations on uncooked and microwave-assisted cooked lentil (Lens culinaris) flours: effect on technofunctional, antinutritional, bioactive, and structural properties

Das, K., Mandliya, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5807-3411 and Kumar, P. (2026) Comparative effects of pretreatments and their combinations on uncooked and microwave-assisted cooked lentil (Lens culinaris) flours: effect on technofunctional, antinutritional, bioactive, and structural properties. Sustainable Food Technology. ISSN 2753-8095 doi: 10.1039/d5fb00579e

Abstract/Summary

This study focused on the nutritional, technofunctional, bioactive, and microstructural properties of lentils obtained with different pretreatments and processing methods, including soaking, germination, dehulling, microwave-assisted cooking (MAC), and their combinations, to produce value-added lentil flour with improved characteristics. The combination of dehulling and germination resulted in a significant increase in protein content (p < 0.05), with the highest value of 30.91%. Similarly, crude fiber content increased due to the combined effects of germination and MAC (3.62%). In contrast, fat content showed a decreasing trend. Dehulling resulted in maximum reduction of tannin content (85.57%), phytic acid was most effectively reduced by germination (73.14%), and the trypsin inhibitor was mainly reduced by MAC (93.81%). Antioxidant activity was highest in the untreated sample (35.37%) and decreased further after subsequent pretreatments; a similar reduction was observed for TPC. Soaking dehulled lentil flour resulted in the highest peak and final viscosities (1366 cP; 1800 cP). MAC can improve both the technofunctional and nutritional properties of lentil flour, and a combination approach can enhance lentil value and diversify its use.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/129877
Identification Number/DOI	10.1039/d5fb00579e
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Food Research Group
Publisher	Royal Society of Chemistry
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